Machine for rounding-up lumps of dough in the manufacture of bread.



F. H. VAN HOUTEN, JR. MACHINE FOB. ROUNDING-UP LUMPS 0F DOUGH IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BREAD. APPLIOATION FILED FEB. 18I 1909.

9&2, 1 54 Patented Dec. 7, 1909.

Q 1410014 or I wihumoeo A atmmugs UNITED STATES PATENT oFFicE.

FRANK H. V.A1\T HOUTEN', .13., OF FISHKILL-ON-THE-HUDSON, NEW YORK, ASSIGN'OR TO DUTCHESS TOOL COMPANY, OF FISHKILL-ON-THE-HUDSON, NEW YORK, A COR POBATION OF NEW YORK.

MACHINE FOR ROUNDING-UP IZUMPS OF DOUGH IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BREAD.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. '7, 1909.

v To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK H. VAN Honrnn, Jr., a citizen of the United States, residing at Fishkill-on-the-Hudson, Dutchcss county, New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Rounding-Up Lumps of Dough in the Manufacture of Bread; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and to the figures and letters of reference marked thereon.

'In accordance with approved practice in modern bakeries where large quantities of dough are made up at one time into bread, the lumps of dough'after being weighed oil or properly proportioned are rounded up by a peculiar process of molding with the hand. This process of rounding up gives to the pieces of dough a skin or smooth surface, and after being rounded up the lumps are set aside'to prove when they will be ready for molding into shape for baking.

Many machines and mechanical appliances are employed for performing some of the steps of the rather'long and intricate processes, and the present invention relates particularly tomechanism or machines for accomplishing the rounding up of the lumps and the impartingthereto of a proper skin or surface prior to the proofing, although it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that the invention may be used. in other steps of the processor wherever it is desired to impart to lumps of plastic material a rounded contour and a smooth skin or surface.

Referring to the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly broken away, and partly in section of a machine embod ing the present invention; Fig. 2 is an en elevation looking at the right hand end of the machine shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3'

is a diagrammatic plan view illustrativeof the action of the traveling belts in rotating the lump of material'on an axis at an angle to the plane of travel of the belt. Similar characters of reference indicate like parts inall the views.

In the simple embodiment of the invention illustrated, a pair of parallel belts A and B are mounted to travel over pulleys a travel at a higher speed than the pulleys 5 and belt B, preferably at twice the speed of the latter. A convenient and efficient driving mechanismconsists, as shown, of fast and loose driving pulleys lettered D, to which a power belt is applied. One of the pulleys D drives a shaft d carrying at one end a pinion E meshing with a larger gear F on a shaft G. This shaft G carries in proximity to its opposite ends sprocket wheels I1 and H one having twice as many teeth as the other, and said sprocket wheels through sprocket chains [1, and h drive sprocket wheels 11, and h one connected with one pulley a and the other connected with one pulley b.

p In the preferred arrangement the belts are not only parallel to each other, but in substantially the same plane between the pulleys, and are adapted to travel over a supporting surface or table C conveniently formed as a part of the frame of the machine. Obviously, the lumps of dough or similar material deposited on the belts and partly resting on both, will, in being carried forward, tend to rotate on a vertical axis, as illustrated, for instance in Fig. 3, where the lump of dough K in traveling from the position indicated at L to that indicated at L is given substantially a quarter turn. This movement of the lump of dough or similar material is not of itself sufficient to impart the desired conformation thereto, and, therefore, it becomes necessary to provide a surface on surfaces with which the dough Will contact during its travel along with the belts, and, as shown, a transversely adjustable but longitudinally fixed guiding and contacting surface in the form of a board M extends parallel with and preferably over one edge of the slow belt B. Obviously, by being located in position to contact with the more slowly moving side of the lump, it will prevent said lump from being pushed entirely oif of the belt A, and further by adjustingthe position of the contacting the weight of the lump may be made to rest into a on-either one or the other of the belts, and a corresponding variation in the movement of the dough effected. The surface along which the lump is carried by the belts and with which it contacts may be made of various conformations calculated. to produce the particular results desired and may, in part, extend over the lump of dough. In the preferred arrangement that portion or those portions of the contacting surface which extend over the lump of dough are preferably of a'yielding character, and in the form of a series of pivoted boards which may be termed hands N, pivotally supported at one end on the board M and free to swing at. their opposite ends toward and from the belts. In normal position, the free ends of thehands rest in proximity to the u per surface of the belts. Obviously, wel known means may be provided for varyin the pressure exerted by the hands in a townward direction, such, for instance, as the adjustable weight indicated at n.

In operation, the contacting surface formed by the parts M and N retard the part of the lump engaging therewith and by wiping and smoothing action tend not only to round the same up, but impart. a surface finish thereto closely approximating the finish secured by hand manipulation, as heretofore practiced.

Generally speaking, the action onthe lump of dough is as follows: The irregularly shaped lump depositedon the belts and partly resting on both is rolled along on an axis more or less perpendicular to the supportin surface until it contacts with the first han N, Where itis rounded up-and smoothed into a slightly elongated irregularly-shaped roll, as shown, for instance at L, Fig. 3,and escaping from the first hand it is rotated on a more or less perpendicular axis, substantially 90 before contacting with the second hand. Thus-the lump is presented to the second hand in the direction of its reatest length and is again formed sdightly elon ated roll having an axis at substantially rigdit angles to the axisiof the roll formed by the first hand, and this action continues throughout the machine, the resultant conformation being a well rounded up and smooth lump ready for the proofing step of the process.

It is not essential to the operation of the machine that the lump of dough should contact with a series of overhanging surfaces, as the action may be made continuous and one long hand or overhan ing surface employed inasmuch as the tendency of the belts and the contactin surface will result in rolling the lump about an axis at an angle to the plane of movement of the lump and will cause the mass of the lump to constantly shift around the said axis by the wiping and smoothing action of the surfaces support,- ing and with which the lump contacts.

For adjusting the contacting surface laterally it is conveniently mounted-on a slideway 0, Fig. 2, and a hand wheel I mounted .on a shaft carries a plurality of pinions p meshing with a rack p on the base of the contactin r surface.

The bdlts may be of any suitable material, but are preferably of canvas which may be kept in a clean and sanitary condition.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters-Patent, is:

1. In a rounding up machine, the combination of the following instrumentalities, to wit: a pair of parallel belts with means for moving the same in the same direction at a differential speed, and a lon itudinally fixed contacting surface located in proximity to the belts, the arrangement being such that a lump of material supported on the belts and rotated on a substantially perpendicular axis by the differential movement of the belts will contact with said surface.

2. In a rounding up machine, the combination of the following instrumentalities, to wit: a plurality of supporting surfaces arranged side by side, means for imparting differential movement to said surfaces simultaneously in the same direction and a contacting surface extending longitudinally of said surfaces, the arran ement bein such that a lump of material ying on bot I said supporting surfaces and advanced thereby will cooperate with said contacting surface.

3. In a rounding up machine, the combination of the following instrumentalities, to wit: a plurality of longitudinally movable supports arranged side by side, means for imparting differential movement to said supports simultaneously in the same direction, a longitudinally extending contacting surface lying in proximity to the slower moving support and with'which the lump contacts to maintain its engagement with the more rapidly moving surface.

4. In a rounding up machine, the combination of the following instrumentalities, to wit: a plurality of longitudinally movable supporting surfaces arranged side by side, means for imparting differential movement to said surfaces simultaneously in the same direction, a longitudinally extending contacting surface adjustably mounted in proximity to the slower movin supporting surface and with which the dump contacts to maintain its position in engagement with Elie more rapidly moving supporting surace.

5. In a rounding up machine, the combination of the following instrumentalities, to

wit: longitudinally movable supporting surfaces arranged side by side and extendm 1n the same plane, means for imparting di 'er-' enti-al movement to' the said surfaces simultaneously in the same direction, and a contactingsurface overlying said supports and with which the upper portion 0 the lump carried" by the supports contacts, whereby the upper portion of the lump is retarded tacting surface supported by said gui e and adapted to contact with the upper side of the lump carried by the belt.

7. In a rounding up machine, the combination of the following instrumentalities, to wit: a'pair of parallel sup orting belts having their supporting sur aces in the same plane, means for imparting diiferential movement torsaid belts simultaneously in the same direction, an upwardly extending longitudinally arranged guide located in proximity to the slower moving belt, and a movable contacting surface supported by 'sald guide and overlying the supporting belts for cooperation with the upper side of the lump advanced by the belts.

8. In a rounding up machine, the-combination of the following instrumentalities, to wit: a plurality of supporting belts, means for imparting differential movement to said belts simultaneously in the same direction, a

longitudinally arrangedmember located 'in proximity to said belts, and a plurality of member and overlying he belts for cooperation with the upper side of a lump advanced and rotated by the belts.

-movable contacting sur aces carried .by said 9. In a rounding up machine, the-combi-- nation of the following instrumentalities, to wit: a pluraligy of carrying belts, means for imparting di e belts simultaneously in the same direction, a: longitudinally extending. member arranged in proximity to the belts, and a plurality of pivoted contacting surfacescarried by the said member and overlying the belts in position for successively/cooperating with the upper side of the lump advanced and rotated by the belts.

nation of the following instrumentalities, to

'wit: a plurality of supporting belts, means rential movements to said 10. In a rounding up machine, the combifor imparting difi'erential movement to said belts simultaneously in the same direction,

- and a series of pivoted hands overlying the said beltsand with which theupper surface of the lump successively. contacts while being advanced'and rotated b ,the belts.

FRANK H. VAN OUTEN, JR. Witnesses: 1 v

F. H.'VAN HOUTEN, HOWARD 'B'. WIL'rsE. I 

